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Key Learning Areas
English
Students are challenged to live by ageless Christian values in a world of accelerating change, therefore literacy skills are crucial to the development of the individual made in God’s image and likeness.
Our literacy program is structured to enable children to:
- express fully the dignity and meaning of being human
- develop literacy practices for transforming social and educational needs
- understand that knowledge about language assists all aspects of literacy
- develop effective literacy according to student’s abilities and needs, ranging from foundational literacy through to critical literacy
- understanding increasingly complex literacy codes and multiple codes of communication
St Mary’s literacy program aims to incorporate decisions regarding classroom discourse, texts used in class, perspectives adopted, access to and use of information technology, intervention programs and the assessment and reporting of literacy achievement.
Mathematics
At St Mary's we believe that children need to know and understand the basics of Number, Space and Measurement through the exploration and investigation of patterns, relationships, processes and problems, therefore we aim to provide an effective Mathematics program that balances the strands on Number, Spance and Measurement. We also aim to give students time to explore and investigate mathematical concepts.
We believe that children need to use a variety of concrete materials and technologies to develop mathematical concepts, therefore we aim to ensure that there is a variety of appropriate equipment and resources readily available in the classroom.
We believe that assessment and reporting in Mathematics must be accurate, meaningful and non-threatening so that parents, students and teachers understand the student's achievements and the areas to be developed, therefore we aim to regularly assess all strands of Maths, including Working Mathematically.
We believe that students have different learning styles and develop mathematical concepts at varying rates and levels, therefore we aim to support the learning needs of each student.
Science and Technology
At St Mary's the processes of investigating, designing and making and using technology are central to Science and Technology. We aim to provide a balanced curriculum which incorporates the six strands of Built Environments, Information and Communication, Living Things, Physical Phenomena, Products and Services and the Earth and It's Surroundings. The knowledge and skills taught can be transferred to other Key Learning Areas and can be used in real life situations. Scientific methodology is taught. A variety of ongoing assessment strategies are used.
Outside agencies such as Questacon are used to provide enriched learning experiences for the students. Excursions are also important for enhancing learning opportunities.
Human Society and Its Environment
At St Mary's we believe
- that through the learning experiences in HSIE, students will develop values, attitudes, knowledge and understanding about change and continuity, cultures, environments and social systems and structures
- the teaching of HSIE should seek to develop a culture of truth
- that our students can make a positive contribution to a better world as they meet the challenges of their changing society
- that assessment and reporting in HSIE must be accurate, meaningful, non-threatening
- that the study of HSIE should provide students with a range of learning experiences
- that available technologies should be used to enhance teaching and learning
Creative Arts
At St Mary’s we believe that the art forms of visual arts, music, drama and dance play a significant role in how meaning is made in peoples’ lives. Visual arts, music, drama and dance offer students at St Mary’s opportunities for personal expression, enjoyment, creative action, imagination, emotional response, aesthetic pleasure and the creation of shared meanings. These artforms also provide students with opportunities to explore social and cultural values about spiritual and worldly beliefs in Australia and in other regions and cultures, and to celebrate, share and negotiate these values and beliefs. Through the arts, the diverse and pluralistic values of Australian cultures, including those of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, reflect the interests and aspirations of groups, and their identities.
Through the provision of learning experiences in Visual Arts students will develop:
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in making artworks, informed by their investigations of the world as subject matter, use of expressive forms, and consideration of the audience for their works
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in appreciating their own artworks and those of others, recognising some relationships between artists, artworks, audiences and how the world is interpreted
Visual Arts lessons are designed to:
- Make artworks informed by students’ investigations of the world as subject matter, use of expressive forms, and consideration of the audience for their works
- Appreciate their own artworks and those of others, recognising the roles of artists, audiences and how the world can be interpreted
Music lessons aim to develop in students:
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in performing music of different styles and from different times and cultures by singing, playing and moving, and in organising sound into musical compositions using musical concepts
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in listening to and discussing their own music and that of others
- Performance skills of singing, playing and moving using musical concepts
the ability to organise sound into musical compositions using musical concepts
the ability to l isten to and discuss their own music and that of others
Drama lessons are programmed and planned so that students will develop:
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in making drama collaboratively by taking on roles and creating imagined situations shaped by the elements of drama
Performance skills in drama by actively engaging in drama forms
Knowledge, skills and understanding in appreciating their own dramatic works and those of others
Dance lessons are planned and programmed so that students will develop:
- Knowledge, skills and understanding in composing their own dances using the elements and contexts of dance
- the ability to perform dances from different times and cultures using the elements and contexts of dance
- an appreciation of their own dances and those of others
Personal Development, Health and Physical Education
The Personal Development and Health Syllabus supports the development of the student as a whole person. Implemented in the context of a Catholic school, it has the potential to make a significant contribution to the improved and ongoing quality of life for all individuals within the community. In a Catholic context, it can strongly affirm the God-given dignity of the human person, and support our students enjoying ‘life to the full’.
Child Protection, Road Safety and Drug Education have been integrated within the related content areas for each stage of learning.
The Life Education program is also a key element in the Personal Development and Health strands, with Healthy Harold visiting each class early in the year.
Rationale
In our rapidly changing society there is increasing community awareness of the importance of healthy lifestyles. The resultant good health is characterised by improved quality of life, less sickness and disability, happier personal, family and social experiences and the opportunity to make choices in work and recreation.
When individuals are well informed on health issues and have a sense of control about the decisions they make, they are more likely to experience positive relationships, improved quality of life and less illness.
This resource aims to assist in the development of knowledge and understanding, skills and values and attitudes of students to make informed decisions about their health. The context for students to explore health issues is within PDHPE programs.
http://www.lifeeducation.org.au/main/
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